On November 24, my friend Ted Czech, who is a journalist/MMA blogger, contacted me asking if I had heard anything about a "WMMA Summit" going on in NYC. I had not. When I inquired more about it, he sent me this press release from his blog:

MMA referee Danielle Curzon, who has officiated fights in both England and the United States, is scheduled to join forces with the groundbreaking WMMA World Tour in 2013.

Curzon, 29, became Europe’s first televised female MMA referee in 2011 and earlier this year, became the first UK MMA referee to be Association of Boxing Commissions certified by passing referee Herb Dean’s course.

The WMMA World Tour, which is owned and financed by Monaco Sport Invest, plans to launch a series of Women’s Mixed Martial Arts events on a global scale, beginning in April with an event in Monte Carlo, Monaco. Other locales on the tour include Moscow, Russia; Seoul, South Korea; Sun City, South Africa; and Antwerp, Belgium.

Each of the WMMA World Tour events will feature two 8-fighter tournaments in two different weight classes. The victors will be determined that night in single-elimination competition, said Mathew Titaley, a WMMA World Tour representative.

Curzon said that as soon as she became aware of the WMMA World Tour, she began speaking with them; soon, both parties realized an alliance would be a tremendous benefit.

“I am so excited by what they are doing,” Curzon said. “They are doing everything to promote safe, clean MMA fights. I was highly impressed with their plans to drugs test all fighters. That’s a huge thing to me — clean fighters — and they are doing their research thoroughly into fighters backgrounds to ensure fair match ups.”

Titaley said the company was, in turn, very impressed with Curzon — not only her credentials, but also her spirit.

“We are very interested in getting her on in a senior role in the organization … Danielle will definitely be a part of WMMA,” Titaley said. “She has a very strong character … I think she will be an established referee in a few years.”

Curzon left a comfortable life as a member of an aristocratic family and an international dressage rider to pursue her love of the martial arts. Once a kickboxer — with a second-degree black belt in freestyle kickboxing — and MMA fighter, Curzon continues to train several days a week.

Transitioning to refereeing in the UK two years ago, Curzon presided over fights for the British Cage Fighting Association in the UK, and KICK International in the United States. Curzon is also in the midst of starting an academy in Market Rasen, Lincolnshire, England, which will feature boxing for youths, Pilates, yoga, Zumba and dance.

Curzon said she looks forward to joining the WMMA World Tour, as she believes they have the correct mind-set to push the sport forward in the right direction.

“We have spoke about my experiences since being a referee both good and bad and thrashed out some ideas of what needs to be done to get wmma accepted by the mainstream,” she said,

“I’ve drawn on my amazing experience in the USA and their policies and procedures to look at putting them into place in WMMA, especially a database to record fight records and medical suspensions,” Curzon said. “The general public need to see regulation and easily-accessible safety policies so they can understand what happens, to lose the perception of it being thugs in a cage. I’m very much looking forward to helping in any way I can.”

In addition to the WMMA World Tour, Curzon is planning another trip to the United States. To help finance her trip, Curzon is offering sponsorship packages, where advertisers will be seen on both her polo shirt and the cage canvas during the event. To further discuss sponsorship opportunities, Curzon can be reached at samuraisecurity@hotmail.co.uk

Yesterday, Ted contacted me to explain that after some digging it turned out to be a strange hoax. Here is his blog video about it:

OK, so I have been going through @octagonblog on twitter. This guy apparently also promoted that this "WMMA World Tour" was in some way connected to our Coalition to Legalize MMA in NY (he used our logo to promote the "event". Obviously this is not true.

Also, apparently now, according to the twitter feed, Curzon has recieved deathe threats via phone and via a twitter account created for such purposes: @done_mma
I am told Scotland Yard is now involved.

Apparently, the twitter account @MSIcontact was also created, or at least only seems to serve the purpose, of instigating this hoax.

The @WMMAtour account is also interesting. It is now locked and titled "MMA World Tour RIP" with the following description:

Quote:

A great but never delivered concept by 'Mathew Titaley' aka @OctagonBlog aka Max Stebler aka Mark Smits. You get the picture.
Netherlands

In 2013 the year promises to become to the emancipation of the ladies-fight sport. As Groundandpound.de has got to know exclusively, resident MSI group next year plans in the principality Monaco a women MMA-world tour with prize money at level the tennis WTA tour or the gulf LPGA Tour. Behind MSI (Monaco sport Invest) is Russian multi-millionaire Dimitri Ribolowlew who had already taken over the majority shares of the Fussball-Zweitligisten ACE Monaco last year and very much interests is to invest in trend sports.

Specifically the draft of the new-founded federation intends tournaments in seven different weight classes, analogously to the judo. As once in K-1 the Ladies should choose the winner in an evening in 8-women's tournaments. Besides, prize money by 6-figure height should guarantee the participation of the world-best fighters. Off from Strikeforce, Bellator and Invicta to known dimensions were already led some preliminary talks with medal winners of the last Olympic plays from the judo, struggle and Taekwondo. WMMA fans can be glad about an absolutely new pool to fighters.

The first four data of the ' tour WMMA World in 2013 ' are also already certain:

By these four appointments one more other should arrive. Also over Germany is thought in this connection according to. The first candidate for an active participation from German landing is with certainty the double German ' fighter of the Jahres' and acting number one of the world in the flyweight of the ladies, Sheila Gaff. Last the Eschwegerin missed, indeed, illness-partly her Cagewarriors-title fight against Rosi sex tone, nevertheless, in the 57kg tournament WMMA the efficient Balschmieter pupil would count with certainty to the favorites.

Groundandpound.de, as a long-standing supporter of the ladies-fight sport, is enthusiastically from this development and will hold you naturally up-to-date. That's why we plan a current interview with a leading employee of MSI. You can be glad on the subject ' tour WMMA Would in 2013 ' soon about other exclusive news!

12/04/2012 10:23am,

sambosteve

3 Attachment(s)

So, the guy who posted this press release, Tim Leidecker, seems legit. Writes for Sherdog since 2007 and Owns groundandpound.de, where the release was posted. He prolly was contacted the same way Ted was. Here is his facebook: http://www.facebook.com/rossonero1

OK folks, let's dig a bit here. The country code for Mathew Titaley is +31 (Holland). His number as listed on Danielle Curzon's twitter is +31 6 84 42 65 34. I confirmed with Ted that he had spoken to him at that number. His twitter lists him as in NYC. His linked in list him generally as in the US and working as an "Independent Airlines/Aviation Professional." His facebook, which now has been cleared (I should have taken a screen shot) said he worked for a private jet maker "Dassault Falcon."